An outraged community gathered Thursday night in South Dallas to demand answers from Dallas police about why they weren’t told sooner about a serial rapist who has attacked nine women since late June.

More than 100 people packed into True Lee Missionary Baptist Church, just blocks away from where many of the attacks happened.

Many questioned why it took only three victims for police to address the public in Lake Highlands about a serial rapist there earlier this year. Seven women had reported rapes near Fair Park before police told the public Tuesday.

“Why are we treated the way we are treated, and they are treated the way they are treated?” asked Beverly Todd.

While the meeting had a heavy police presence, several people there were angered that Police Chief David Brown was absent.

Brown has said it wasn’t until Tuesday that detectives connected the first two rapes in June to five that occurred more recently.

Two additional women have come forward since Tuesday’s warning from police. Many at the meeting learned for the first time about the ninth victim, who reported to police that she had been attacked in the last week of July in the 2700 block of Morning Avenue.

“Dallas Police Department could not take this more seriously,” said Deputy Chief Michael Coleman of the southeast patrol division.

Coleman and Deputy Chief Sherryl Scott of the crimes against persons unit stressed that for police to release information to the public, they first needed to speak with the victims, something that takes time.

“We have victims that are devastated, and we need to be on their time frame,” Coleman said.

“I’m not ashamed to tell you we can’t do this ourselves,” said Scott. “We need some help.”

Traswell Livingston, one of the audience members who spoke at the meeting, stressed to the officers that while the community wants to help, they need to know what to do.

“You’ve asked for help and we want to help, but we want to know what the plan is,” Livingston said as the crowd cheered.

Coleman said police have increased the number of officers in the area, adding plainclothes officers, marked cars, members of the gang unit, and even helicopters to patrol the neighborhood. DART police are also assisting the effort.

“We take this to heart,” Coleman said. “We are going to use all the resources we can to catch this person.”

Police said at the meeting they have received 25 tips and will follow up on all leads. Because of a several-week gap between the second and third attacks, police are also checking records for recently released inmates who were jailed at that time.

One person at the meeting looking for answers about the delay in notification was the sister of one of the victims. She said her sister was attacked early Sunday morning at the 3800 block of Spring Avenue — the last of the string of attacks. She is not being named to protect her sister’s identity.

She said her sister was leaving Williams Chicken when a man with a mask came up from behind, put a gun to her head and brought her into an isolated area.

She said the man threatened to kill her sister several times as he sexually assaulted her.

She said after the assault he told her sister to sit and wait as he left. According to the woman, her sister then ran to a nearby smoke shop, where they called 911.

“She’s hurt, she’s troubled, she’s not the same,” she said. “She’ll never be the same.”

Had her sister been aware of the previous attacks, she probably would not have been walking by herself alone so early in the morning.

“She had no idea,” she said. “If this was happening in June, why are we just hearing now?”

Sondra Hailey, who was born and raised in South Dallas, said she has family members who live on Spring Avenue and were completely unaware of the attacks.

“It’s devastating,” Hailey said before the meeting. She hoped that Dallas police would be more thorough moving forward in the investigation, and that anyone with information would come forward.

Description of attacker: Black, 25 to 30 years old, 200 pounds and 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-11. He wore a T-shirt, basketball shorts and oval or round gold-rimmed prescription glasses. He covered his face with clothing during the attacks. He may drive a gray or silver car: a four- door Honda Civic or an older-model Volvo with tinted windows.

Rewards: Oak Farms Dairy announced Thursday it is offering $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment. Crime Stoppers is offering an additional $5,000. Anyone with information is urged to call 214-373-8477.